Combined trace-holder and detaching means.



M T N E V m Patented Apr. 29, 1902.

w. n. BUNN. COMBINED TRACE HOLDER AND DETACHING MEANS.

(Application filed Jan. 9, 1902.)

(No Modai n m w W UNITED A STATES PATENT -OFFICE.

WILLIAM DAVID BUN N OF NEWBERN, TENNESSEE, ASSIGNOR OF ON F-HALF TO W. T BUNN, OF NEWBERN, TENNESSEE.

COMBINED TRACE-HOLDER AND DETACHING MEANS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Lett er;s Patent No; 699,099, dated April 29, 1902. Application filed January 9, I902. Serial No- 88,99 8. (No model.)

I T at whom it may,concern.-

Be it knownthat LWILLIAMIDAVID BUNN, residing at Newbern, in the county of Dyer and State of Tennessee, have invented a new and Improved Combined Trace-Holder and.

'Detaching'wMeans, of which the following is a specification. L This invention relates to improvements in that classof horse-detachin g appliances which include pivotally held trace holders and springclamps for sustaining the holders in their normal or locked position and in which suitable devices adapted to be conveniently operated by the occupant of the vehicle for :5 moving the said clamps to a released 'position are provided, whereby the holders are.

freed to admit the traces-pulling off as the animal leaves theshafts; and the said in- 'vention primarily has for its purpose to proo vide a trace-holding and detaching means of the characterstated of a very simple and inexpensive nature, which can be easily manipulated and which will act positively and eifectively for its intended purposes.

Q5 My invention in its more general nature comprehends a novel construction of a single metal plate having a body portion adapted to conveniently fit and be secured to the whihie,

tree, and especially constructed for cooperation with a simple type of clamp member, an integral forked head portion to receive the free end of the trace hook or holder, and an integral bracket projected at right angles from the body to form a pivotal member to receive the hinge end of the trace hook or holder.

In its more specific nature my invention consists in certain novel details of construction and peculiar combination of parts, all of which will hereinafter loo-fully explained,and particularly 'pointed out in the appended claim, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a view illustrating my invention as in use. Fig. 2 isa perspective view of one end of a whiflietree with my improved traceholder and detaching devices applied. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section of the same, taken practically on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2, the traceholder-hook clamp member being shown to a pulled-back position in dotted lines and the proved devices.

.6.6 of Fig; 3, respectively. Fig. 7 is a detail View of the main or body member of my im- Fig.8 is a perspective view of the clamp or looking member.

In the accompanying drawings-,Zin which like numerals and characters denotelikeparts in all the figures,A designates thewhiffletree,

which may be of ordinary construction and 6 5 .con'nected with the'cross-bars of- -the shafts S in the usual manner. Thefrear edge of the opposite ends of the whiffletree are flattened, as at a, to form suitable bearing-surfaces for the main plates or members 1 of my improved 7o trace-holder and detach'er devices. As the said devices at each end are constructed and act alike, a description of one set of said devices will suffice forbothl. 1

The main plate 1 'of eachdevice consists of a fiat member 1*, adapted to lit snugly against the bearing-surface a of theiwhiftletree A, to which it is made fast by the bolts 2 2 having countersunk heads 2 andups'et ends 2, as clearly shown in Figs. 5'and6.

The outerpart 1 of the member 1 projects beyond the whiffletree end and terminates in a-forked end 1, the purpOseQOf-Which will presently appear, and the said portion 1 has an integral forwardly-extending right angled extension 1 which in the practical application of the member 1 to the whiftletree lies snugly against the outer edge a thereof, as clearly shown in Fig. 3, and the outer end of the extension terminatesin apertured ears 1 0 to receive the pintle 3, on which the traceholder 4 is hinged, to swing in ahorizontal plane.

The member. 4 comprises {an-r outwardlycurved front or hinge end P and a'finger 4 5 adapted when the holder is in its closed position, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, to seat in the forked outer end 1 of the member 1.

5 designates a clamp or locking member, which consists of a stout flat spring-plate 10o adapted to lie fiatwise against the member 1, to which its inner end is made fast by the bolt 2 and rivet 2. The outer end of the plate 5 projects over and beyond the forked part of the member 1 and isbent upon itself to form a right-angled detent or looking member 5 for closing over the outer edge of the forked part of member 1 to secure the holder 4 from swinging out when adjusted to its closed position, and the said detent 5 has a beveled surface 5 the inclination of which relative to the free end of the member 4 is such that as the member 4 is closed in it will engage said surface 5 and automatically push the said end back, (see dotted lines, Fig. 3,) and thereby shifts the clamp 5 to permit the holder 4 to move to its closed position into engagement with forked end of the member 1, it being obvious that after passing the edge 5 of the said detent the spring-clamp will resume its normal position for locking the holder 4 in place.

To limit the back pull on the spring-clamp member 5, a bail 6 is provided, which straddles the members 1 and 5 and has its inner edge seated in a notch a in the rear edge of the whifiletree, as clearly shown in Fig. 3.

The beveled head of the member 5 is formed into an eye a: for conveniently attaching the ends of the pull rope or strap 7, which extends up within convenient reach of the driver, as shown.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, it is thought the advantages and manner of operating myimproved trace-holding and detaching deviceswill be readily understood.

I am aware that trace-holders and detaching means embodying pivotal trace hooks or holders and spring-plates for cooperating with the holders have heretofore been provided, and I broadly make no claim for such features.

My invention differentiates from what has heretofore been provided in this art, so far as I know, in the specific correlation of the member 1. with the whifiletree, the angle extension of the plate, its forked end, the special arrangement of the pivoted hook, and the peculiar construction of the'spring-clamp 5.

Among the advantages of my invention is the ease in which the trace-hooks swing out when the clamps are pulled back and the manner in which the clamp-plates are automatically pressed back by reason of the holders or hooks engaging the beveled faces of the said plates. Furthermore, no ferrule is used and no special construction of the ends of the whiffietree is necessary further than flattening the rear edge to receive the member 1.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

In combination with a whiliietree, a traceholder and detaching device, consisting of the plate 1, adapted to be secured to the rear edge of the whiftletree; =the projecting portion 1 of said plate extending beyond the end of the whiffletree and terminating in a forked end; the integral, forwardly-extending member 1, engaging the end'of the whiffletree and terminating in pivoted ears; the trace-holder 4, hinged to said ears and having its outer end provided with a beveled face; the locking member 5 suitably secured to the rear side of the plate Land having its outer end extending beyond the projecting member 1 of the plate 1, and bent to form an eye to engage the pull-strap 7, one part of the bent portion extending at a right angle over the forked end of the member 1, and another part formed into a beveled face, adapted to cooperate with the beveled face of the trace-holder 4; the bail 6 seated in the rear edge of the whiflietree, straddling the members 1 and 5, all arranged as shown and for the purposes specified.

WILLIAM DAVID BUNN.

Witnesses:

W. W. GLASS, 0. J. RADFORD. 

